[Closed] How long do you keep your bikes?

Until they're stolen 🙁

Have you tried golf.

I've had a couple that I've built up and then sold on before I'd even done a proper ride on them; others I've had for up to 25 years and counting.

2005 coiler has about 1000 miles on (bought in 2014) - too small for me, but very cheap and fun pointing down. Probably about 100 hours. Sat at my parent's house

The last commuter had over 10000 miles on, cracked frame. Probably 600+ hours. One before it must've been close to 20k miles., though with more snapped components on that one.

Parkwood has about 2000 miles on still going strong. about 200 hours.

full sus 500 or so still going strong. About 50 hours.

Planet X road bike about 1000 miles, still going, 60 hours or so. Previous road bike probably had about 10000 miles or so on it.

Track bike dunno, but still going - and I probably spend more time warming up/down on it than actually riding.

Child transport formerly MTB er dunno, tonnes and tonnes of miles and hours, was my main bike for about 8 years although I wasn't hugely active over that time.

SO er I tend to get rid when they break or when I get frightened of them breaking.

My average is 5-6 years although my occasional commuter is still my 1995 Cannondale SM900.

I've bought and sold frames without even building them up 🙂

Won't ever sell my pre-fame Shand tho.

Does N+1 count?

CdF (bought 2015) - 335 rides - 8800km - 390hrs
Solaris (bought 2014) - 261 rides - 11,300km - 920hrs
Spearfish (built in March) - 8 rides - 370km - 24hrs
Fat bike (built in Nov 2016) - 42 rides - 1150km - 94hrs

Still got these. Don't have stats for the last bike I sold (well gave to nephew)

I’ve bought and sold frames without even building them up

Oh, for sure. That's easy. If you want to do it properly you need to buy a frame, absorb a load of your spares pile into it, buy a few awkwardly specific additional things it needs, use it as an experiment for whether those new tyres that looked great online are actually as appealing in the flesh, and then sell it at an eye-watering loss because you can't bear to dismantle what is now a perfectly decent bicycle 😀

That's some impressive stat keeping.

No idea personally, but last Yeti (bought 2005?) nearly lasted me 10 years until it stopped working properly, but all the bits got swapped to a new Yeti frame, which is still going.

I am very fond of my Instinct (bought 2017), but it's carbon, so I don't think it'll last until 2027. Or I won't.

Longest - 853 inbred , 11 years and counting

shortest - evil sovereign, 1 ride of 12 miles (hated it)

That’s some impressive stat keeping

That's down to Strava and Veloviewer to be honest. I've always used the My Gear option as it's fun to compare the times of different bikes on segments.

Funnily enough I'm fine with road bikes. I've had a few Principia bikes, but the current one dates from 2002. Not that I do much road riding these days, but it had a good ten years of use before I got into mountain biking and still gets rolled out a couple of times a year. Just so I can remind myself how much less fun it it is riding on roads 🙂

Longest bike I've ever owned I still have, and it' the cheapest. Secondhand Specialized Allez. It was £250. It replaced an S-Works Tarmac which was lovely, but wasted on me. I've owned the Allez for 6 years now. It's done about 15,000km.

Hate it. But I'm not buying a nice road bike when I won't used it or look after it properly.

MTB probably a couple of years max. I race for a shop so it makes sense to sell on at that point as I dont tend to lose much selling on.

The longest - 29 years (Kona Explosif)

The shortest - about six months (Carver 96er)

Basically as long as I feel like! Had my Ragley Ti and my Hemlock for a long time, 5 years each I think, and my Carrera Krakatoa since 1990. My Ellsworth lasted literally 1 ride because it was shite, and my SX Trail about 3 rides because it was pointless. No sense in riding bikes you're not digging or keeping bikes you're not riding.

Couple of years on average, but there’s usually some overlap so it seems like I’m constantly either building one up or stripping one down.

Ive had plenty that have only lasted a few rides.

My longest owned at the moment is my road bike, if you don’t count the Klein I’ve had for 20 years.

I don't think it's so much a case of getting bored of a bike and looking for change just for the sake of it.  I've been a serial swapper over the years but usually because something better comes along.

I think most of my changes have been for genuinely better bikes, rather than just new and shiny.

Shortest was a Krampus which I knew I wouldn't keep when I took it out of the box then popped it off a kerb outside the house.  I took it on a few short rides just to confirm then sold it while still mint.

I'm just in the door from a ride on my Inbred, the very first of the sandy coloured slotted dropout one, from 2009 iirc.  No point in swapping that for newer.  Rigid, steel, decent XC geo.   I use it as a do it all gravel sort of thing with fast tyres.

It'll go to Holland with me in a few weeks for SSEC.  It's worth buttons now so no worries about leaving it outside a pub or shop.

I've been bitten by the new long slack geo in my mountainbikes, it's ruined everything else.  That's led to a bit of change in the stable recently...

Do you only ride around the same course with slight variation? Seems a surpringly consistent average of 11/12 mile runs going on there at a quick glance!

Not really. I go out twice a week. The mid-week evening ride is usually just a 60-90 minute ride on one of a handful of routes nearby, but the weekend ride is generally somewhere further afield and can be anything from a trail centre to exploring some new natural route.

too much stats OP....

my N is pretty stable around 2 after a brief peak at 3 and I tend to build up from frames and transfer bits. Shortest was a frame that never made it out of the garage after I realised I didn't really want / need a fancy carbon road bike. Longest probably my Orange Sub 5 - 2004-2017 - and that had some parts on from older bikes.

Current cxer has a 4 year old frame and some older bits, will shortly be transplanted to a new frame, just because er... things.

I think the OP is an over consumer. In this life you are either part of the problem or part of the solution.

I replace bikes when they are worn out e.g. a 1991 Orange Clockwork that rusted out, a 1999 Orange Gringo where the head tube split.

Riding bikes from 1991, 2002, 2011, 2014 and 2016.

I could probably be criticized for owning too many bikes, but they all fill different needs:

Orange R8 - bike packing and commuting

Clockwork - replacement for my first, retro object

Kaffenback 'Blue Dragon" - touring, winter road bike

Focus Izalco Pro - road bike

Trek Superfly - Cross country full bouncer

Since Strava..

2009-17 Allez Elite (had 200km on when bought - given away) 3,164.3km

2012-17 Blur LTc (from new, sold on) 5,702.2km

2018- Canyon Grial (from new) 226.3km

2017- Commencal Meta AM V4.2 (from new) 962.5km

2017- Giant Defy (from new - needs shipping from Oz) 1,114.0km

2015-17 Rocky Mountain Elelement (Ex Demo race bike sold on) 1,451.4km

2017-17 Santa Cruz Nomad (2012 Vintage 2 Previous Owners - sold on) 756.3km

Fairly happy with that, cost per km is resonable for everything bar the element, an XC race bike is a luxury I didn't need...

I think the OP is an over consumer. In this life you are either part of the problem or part of the solution.

Yep. I’m single handedly keeping the economy afloat. You can thank me later 🙂 Actually a total of 9 mountain bikes over 7 years (two of which were second hand and many of which shared wheels forks etc) isn’t great, but probably still makes me an amateur compared to some people on here.

Most of mine are 2nd hand so bought on a bit of a whim sometimes and sold on without much/any loss.

Two notable exceptions were a Specialized Pitch which was fantastic but kept breaking shocks, and broke my arm and only got used infrequently. And a Chumba hardtail which I fell out with building due to the broken arm and never rode!

The rest usually get kept until something nice catches my eye 2nd hand, usually 2-3 years, although some end up a bit like triggers broom!

I never buy complete bikes but typically swap frames at around 6 months at minimum and swap around the parts almost as often.  New wheels (an excuse to build them up as I enjoy that)

All part of trying out different things which is part of the enjoyment.  I am just as bad with guitars and synths.

Um over 4 years. I found the bike for me 🙂 Not aiming to change any time soon

Had the Zero AM just over two years and 1500 miles and thinking of changing it for a 29er hardtail. Had the Spitfire for just over four years and over 3000 miles and no plans to replace it - though it’s halfway through having GX Eagle fitted right now.

Before then I had a Cotic Soul for 4000 miles and about five years. And before that a Boardman HT Pro which I got in 2009 - but I still have that with a toddler seat on it!

shortest: cannondale raven -it broke on the first ride

longest : orange patriot 66 from 2005- still in use !

Until curiosity gets the better of me.

I'm worse with hardtail because they're so much easier to chop in and out.

So roverpig does that mean your flaremax will be for sale in 9 months? Hope so because I'd love one but can't quite justify getting rid of my year old T129 just yet

fair dooz roverpig, was just curious at the seeming regularity!

198tysomething, no name black and gold bmx.

1990 white raliegh maurader!

1997, stole... erm borrowed my brothers 1990 saracen eiger. (I coveted that bike! patience paid off! was actuall 3rd hand as bro bought it off his pal.)

2007 GT avalanche, expert no less! 😆

2012 Gensis core 40(2011). (current)

2018, probably going to get myself an arkose 4, had enough of yon new fangled suspension lark, and fancy a drop bar bike!

I’ve been atrocious over the last few years. Since 2012 I’ve owned:

Cotic Bfe

Cotic Roadrat

Genesis Day One Disc

Trek Fuel Ex9

Cotic Escapade

Transition Trans AM 29

Trek Stache

NS RAG+

I’m now down to one bike, a Stif Morf, it’s the best of the bunch. Kept having a hankering for dropped bar bikes and then realising I didn’t like them. My other issue is that as soon as something goes wrong (broken arm on Roadrat, lots of annoying little things with the Fuel / the bike was cursed) it completely puts me off riding them.

I think I need help. On the plus side a lot of folk have bought a bargain over the last few years 😀

Recent history are; stolen 2yrs old, worn out with bits mutated into a new bike 6yrs, donated to a mate because too small 4yrs old, due to be sold because kids too big to cargo 5yrs, that's about it. I don't log miles or rides as I'm not that organised

until they break...... 🙂

2003 Rocky Mountain steel HT... (5th hand)

2007 Trek Session 10

2009 Commencal Meta UK LTD Ed.....

2007 Trek 4500 hard tail (headtube worn, I use it on the turbo trainer now..) being the orthodox tightwad that I am I hate to part with my bikes...LOL

Main bike seems to be about 5 years from new, by then they’re pretty rough looking and my enthusiasm for them is eased to the point I get behind on the maintenance and increasingly there’s the question of obsolescence.

MTB - 12 or 13 now.

Road bike - 12 years, but it was 10 years old when I bought it.

Tourer - 2 years.

Pub bike - previous mtb - 17.

BMX  - Probably getting on for 20.

No point in rushing into things.

🙂

Too long in some cases. I do 'upgrade' bikes relatively quickly but tend to keep hold of them rather than sell the 'obselete' ones. Veloviewer tells me that since I started using Strava (June 2012)...

WARNING - stats overload here too.

Lee Cooper XC frame (owned since 1997 in various guises - currently rigid, slicked, singlespeed).
73 rides, 84 hours, 1833km.

DMR Trailstar (owned since 2001 - currently sat on the turbo in the garage).
On the trails - 5 rides, 7.5 hours, 126km.
On the turbo - 36 rides, 36 hours, 1004km.

Identiti Mr Hyde (owned since 2009 - currently set up as (an unused) winter singlespeed).
54 rides, 70 hours, 1085km.

Cotic BFe (owned since 2012 - currently my 'back-up' bike).
295 rides, 386 hours, 6043km.

Orange Alpine 160 (2014-2016).
147 rides, 270 hours, 3642km.

Cotic Rocket (owned since 2016 - current main bike).
148 rides, 242 hours, 3316km.

Bamboo road bike (only just built).
2 rides, 1.25hours, 33km.

I don't really sell my bikes. Just replace them when they break.
after about 10years if a bike's frame is still not broken I tend to retire it to lighter use.
I also haven't ever bought a bike I didn't like.

I have only ever sold one bike.  One I have owned for 35 years, 3 for 15 years ish and one for a few months

Alex to the thread please, he'll make the rest if you lot look like amateurs.

Can’t go as detailed a some into rides/mileage but time wise I think I’m averaging around 2/3 years. I went through a phase during and just after University where I just seemed to have a new bike all the time, but looking back it wasn’t as bad as I thought!

2004 Claud Butler Cape Wrath Disc - bought March-ish 2005, sold in November 2006

kinesis XC120 - custom build, built in December 2006 upgraded and built until Summer 2012, still have the frame

Ibis Mojo HD140 - new custom build, built in March 2011, awesome bike, sold as it was too small in February 2015

On One 456 Carbon - transferred bits from the Kinesis, didn’t keep for long as it rode like shit, so kept for a bout a year from summer 2012 til summer 2013, sold as frame only

Stanton Slackline 631 - built but never ridden in autumn 2013, frame had some issues so sent back for refund

Cotic Bfe - built winter 2013, still using upgraded bits from all the previous hardtails, loved it but like the Ibis was too small and towards the end I never rode it, split down and sold in January/February 2016 to find new house

Mondraker Foxy Carbon XR - bought to replace the Ibis in February 2015, nice bike but too maintenance intensive and felt like too much bike, sold July 2016

Genesis Datum - bought January 2016 on C2W, still own it now, and weirdly for me it’s largely unchanged from standard!

Whyte T130C RS - got this in August 2016 and unless something incredible in terms of ride and value beats it I won’t be changing anytime soon, it’s just awesome! Heavily upgraded from stock and now pretty much how I want, it just does everything.

Some great bikes over the years, I will never part with that Kinesis frame, just too many memories and can not wait for it to take pride of place on the wall in the man cave when it’s done, just wish I still had the Ibis frame to go with it.

Forever. I usually find some use for old bikes, such as turbo duties or an old 90s Marin makes a nice tourer.

I chop and change quite a bit. No idea on mileage etc as I don't use Strava etc. Since 2011 I've had...

2005 Spesh SX Trail (loved this bike, thought it was super fun despite being a bit heavy and too small)

GT Lopes 4x (at the same time as the Spesh)

Intense Tazer Ht (cracked)

Cotic BFe (replaced the Tazer - didn't really like it)

2013 Banshee Rune

2013 Spech Allez (stolen)

Stanton 853 Slackline (at the same time as the Banshee - replaced the BFe; loved it but too small)

Stanton Switchback (replaced the Slackline - loved it)

Stanton Ti Switchback (repalced the Banshee and the steel Switchback) - stolen

Spesh Demo 8 - stolen after a few months of building it up

Stanton Ti Switchback second gen - sold for my Transition

Spesh Demo 8 carbon

Transition Scout - replaced the second Ti Switchback and I love it...for now!

I really thought the Ti Switchback was a keeper (especially given the cost) but I just didn't like it in the same way I liked the original version and the Scout tempted me away. The current carbon Demo is my longest standing bike at just over two years!

I'm going to show this thread to my wife and she can see that I'm actually comparatively frugal with my bike purchasing / upgrading habits. Then it will be less of a surprise when I unveil the frame that's been in a box in the garage for 3 months.

Erm... 3 weeks, because it was stolen! (That was a Genesis Mantle 29er light XC thingy, which was my first completely new factory MTB build since 2004).

The bike prior to 2018 was a gradual evolution of a 2004 Orange Five...which turned into a Pace RC305, then a Cotic Soul, then a Stooge, then a Cotic Soul 275 and finally a Transition Scout.  That's 14 years, with 6 different frames and 3 different wheel sizes.

For my "road" bikes... since 2006 I've had 10 bikes - although, to be fair, my riding has changed a fair bit and so the bikes reflect that (e.g. some commuter, touring and road bikes).  I've currently got 3 of these.

forever

I was only thinking about creating a thread on this subject this morning in an attempt to give my head a wobble as the answer is not very long!

In a shade over a year I have owned:

Ti spaceframe Jones- loved it and owned for 2 years but I convinced myself I needed suspension as I was getting old

Steel spaceframe Jones- 1 ride before selling as I realised 2 Jones’ was just greedy

Singular gryphon- 3 rides before buying something lighter

Santa Cruz 5010- bought this between me and my son – I rode it 200 yards in the lane before he said he wasn’t bothered about riding anymore and I didn’t think the little wheels were going to be my thing

Salsa Horsethief- great bike but rear triangle cracked so I replaced it and sold it as I fell out of love with it

Whyte T129 frame- bought and never built up

Trek Farley- 2 rides before realised I wanted full suspension

Carbon roadbike- 3 rides before I realised I don’t like road riding

Whyte Gisburn- bought because I don’t like road riding- done a fair bit on that including Dirty Reiver but will be selling soon

Singular Pegasus frame- has been sitting in the garage for 5 weeks unbuilt so in in the danger zone of being sold before being built

Salsa Beargrease- 2 rides before being sold as realised it was bought on a whim in Merlin sale

Salsa Bucksaw- 1 ride- still got it but jury is out…

Transition Smuggler- still got but don’t like the colour so may be selling!

Most of the list above were second hand so not huge financial losses but I find myself looking for immediate chemistry with a bike and if it’s not there my head gets turned.

Ive really got to decide which bike from the bucksaw and smuggler to keep as Im fed up of changing but then only last night I saw a Hightower on Facebook and started thinking about whether that would be ‘the one’- I need counselling!!

All that in "a shade over a year". You, sir, are a legend 🙂

five foot three!

Thanks roverpig ( I think!)

My mates would use another word albeit some of them have done very well out of my revolving garage door policy

I need to spend some time with my chosen bike to tweak the set up etc otherwise I will just keep changing - not helped by my mechanical ineptitude especially when it comes to suspension set up

Forever, but my bike has had 3 new frames, two sets of wheels, two forks, etc. etc.

If it wasn't for the evolving standards, the above would actually be true. It is still kind of true.

I've never got rid of a bike that I bought with my own money.

I use all but one of them, although one of the others doesn't get used all that much (MTB>>Road any day).

The one I don't use very much, but ought to, was bought in '89.

Wow where to start! Some of my bikes I have kept a month max, the HD4 just wasn't for me. Others I really got on with the the grass always looked greener!

Retired:

2017 Patrol carbon 214,

2016 Mondraker Dune Xr 343,

2015 S-Works SL4 642,

2017 Ibis Mojo HD4 58,

2016 5010 mk2 187,

2017 Intense Trace 275 277,

2015 5010 mk1 236,

2015 Cotic soul 205,

2014 Nomad 3 387,

2015 Cavendish Venge 447,

2014 Bronson mk1 203.

Still owned:

2013 Ribble winter bike 144,

2016 Colnago C60 227,

2016 Anthem 2017 182,

2017 Nomad V4 28.

I've only had four bikes in twenty years of Mountain Biking ..

Gary Fisher Wahoo ( fully rigid ) ..given to my step brother when I bought my Gary Fisher Big Sur ( hardtail ) given to my Dad when I bought my Santa Cruz Nomad ( gen1) given to my son ( then 13)  in July 2016 when I bought my 2017 Whyte T130RS..which I will probably still keep when I buy my next ( electric) bike in a year or so ..once I have finished paying for the Whyte ..of the four I rode the Santa Cruz for the longest time ( 10 years ) .

Keep depending on condition and whether anything better has come out.

Usually 2 years 5000 miles or so.

Currently Czar is on 11000 miles after 4.5 years.

Travers Russ ti 2800 miles after 6 months. (Winter)

Use to be 2 years but I'm finding I like my bikes more these days.